Report: Patriots to play Saints in their Germany debut this November

The NFL has yet to release its 2022 schedule, but the first rumors start coming in. The latest: the New England Patriots’ opponent for their first ever game in Germany in November.

Per a report by Max Schrader of German newspaper Bild, the Patriots will play host to the New Orleans Saints. The game will take place Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt on either Nov. 12 or Nov. 19.

The Patriots traveling to Germany during the 2023 season was first announced back in mid-January.

“We are thrilled to be selected to play in Germany this year,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement at the time. “We are undefeated in our three previous international games, thanks in part to the outstanding support from our fans. We know that some of our most passionate fans reside in Germany, and we look forward to finally playing a game there.

“We know the fans will create an amazing atmosphere. We are sure it will be a memorable experience and one of the highlights of the 2023 season.”

The game in Frankfurt will be the Patriots’ first international trip since a matchup with the Oakland Raiders in Mexico City in 2017.

In total, the organization has played aboard on seven different occasions through the years. The Patriots won regular season games in London in 2009 and 2012, and at Estadio Azteca in Mexico five years later. In addition, New England has played exhibition contests outside the U.S. four times, with the last of those taking place in 1998.

According to Bild, the second game in Germany this year will be played between the Kansas City Chiefs and Chicago Bears. The Chiefs will apparently also return to the country in 2024 to play the Carolina Panthers; whether or not the Patriots will play a game in Germany next season as well has yet to be determined.